Constellation to buy Flagstone

Flagstone Winery, the South Africa-based producer run by Bruce Jack, is to be sold to Constellation Europe, it was announced yesterday (Monday).

A letter of intent to acquire the business has been signed, and completion is expected in around six weeks' time.

Constellation says it plans to keep Jack and his winemaking team - with Jack given a new role, supervise all viticulture and winemaking for Constellation in South Africa, including Kumala, the number one South African brand in the UK.

Jack said: "I am very excited about the opportunities that a global wine company like Constellation could bring to growing the South African category at a premium level, and delighted to be spearheading this initiative."

"Flagstone will help to take the South African category to another level of success by providing an incentive for the wine trade to premiumise' their wine business and by encouraging more shoppers to trade up to better quality more often."

With Flagstone, Jack has created a number of unusual blends, using varieties such as Mourvedre, Tinta Barroca and Morio Muscat. He is also involved in a black empowerment project, Ses'fikile.